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Matchmakers #4
Reunited
“He had a slightly lopsided smile and a small scar on his forehead from a childhood accident. He was the man who shattered my soul into a thousand pieces.” Ten years later, Kenneth is back with his entrancing crooked smile. Can Daniel open his vulnerable heart enough to allow a second chance?
Daniel Cummings, the co-owner of the Match Made matchmaking service, finally has a chance at a new romance. Unfortunately, his new dating partner lacks commitment, and the man Daniel dated ten years ago stubbornly refuses to leave his heart. When Kenneth, the ex, returns, Daniel’s heart, patched up with Band-Aids and duct tape, wants to reach out but is not yet ready to trust him.
Kenneth Taylor, the successful owner of a men’s grooming supplies business, dated Daniel ten years ago and rejected the ultimate proposal. With the experience far in the rearview mirror, he approaches Match Made to find his forever partner. A chance meeting with Daniel at a mutual friend’s wedding rekindles all the old emotions. Will it be enough to give the two former lovers a genuine second chance?
Reunited is a 54,000-word gay romance with second chance themes. It is the fourth book in the Matchmakers series. It can be read as a standalone story, but it is much better after reading the first three books. Reunited features characters introduced earlier in the series.
Daniel Cummings, the co-owner of the Match Made matchmaking service, finally has a chance at a new romance. Unfortunately, his new dating partner lacks commitment, and the man Daniel dated ten years ago stubbornly refuses to leave his heart. When Kenneth, the ex, returns, Daniel’s heart, patched up with Band-Aids and duct tape, wants to reach out but is not yet ready to trust him.
Kenneth Taylor, the successful owner of a men’s grooming supplies business, dated Daniel ten years ago and rejected the ultimate proposal. With the experience far in the rearview mirror, he approaches Match Made to find his forever partner. A chance meeting with Daniel at a mutual friend’s wedding rekindles all the old emotions. Will it be enough to give the two former lovers a genuine second chance?
Reunited is a 54,000-word gay romance with second chance themes. It is the fourth book in the Matchmakers series. It can be read as a standalone story, but it is much better after reading the first three books. Reunited features characters introduced earlier in the series.
- GenresRomanceM M RomanceLGBT
184 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 18, 2020
37 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 26, 2020
I have been waiting for Daniel to get his HEA ever since the first book of the series. From that very first book I fell in love with Daniel and now he gets his own story. I thought the author did an wonderful job with Daniel's and Kenneth's back story. Starting there and getting to their HEA was definitely not following the easy road. I absolutely loved how each of them grew and matured on their journey back together. Awesome character development and beautifully flowing prose! Highly recommend this to any and all. Though I would suggest starting with book one as each book does build upon the previous one!
February 21, 2020
An interesting juxtaposition.
Any reader is under the impression that there's only one heavy in any story but here is where the reader is thrown for a loop.
Kenneth comes across as the one who did wrong but as the reader gets more into the story it's discovered that Daniel is as much to blame for their ten year disconnect. It's just for different reasons. While Kenneth was the one not to do the rushing a permanent commitment Daniel was the one to attempt forcing his will on Kenneth as the dominant one in their relationship without seeing or understanding where Kenneth was coming from. Moving into their respective futures situations have changed and their "second chance" has hope of succeeding. Characters from the previous books make important appearances to this the final book in this Matchmakers series. Reading the previous books would help any reader understand the themes flowing through this whole series. For me this was a satisfying read and ending to this series by Mr. Rhodes. I'm giving this review my honest opinion for the ARC I received.
Any reader is under the impression that there's only one heavy in any story but here is where the reader is thrown for a loop.
Kenneth comes across as the one who did wrong but as the reader gets more into the story it's discovered that Daniel is as much to blame for their ten year disconnect. It's just for different reasons. While Kenneth was the one not to do the rushing a permanent commitment Daniel was the one to attempt forcing his will on Kenneth as the dominant one in their relationship without seeing or understanding where Kenneth was coming from. Moving into their respective futures situations have changed and their "second chance" has hope of succeeding. Characters from the previous books make important appearances to this the final book in this Matchmakers series. Reading the previous books would help any reader understand the themes flowing through this whole series. For me this was a satisfying read and ending to this series by Mr. Rhodes. I'm giving this review my honest opinion for the ARC I received.
February 21, 2020
This is my first Declan Rhodes book and I got a bit bored reading.
I just could not find any sympathy for either Daniel of Kenneth.
IMO while deeply in love, Daniel was just an old dominating sod and Kenneth was a heartless selfish arsehole.
While part of the Matchmakers series, each can be read as a standalone:
February 23, 2020
Oh, good lord, these two drove me crazy! They have some major hurdles to overcome and it take a bit of effort to get there. I've watched Daniel from the beginning of the series as he constantly demured finding a date, let alone a partner. He applauded each couple as they found their HEA. It was so obvious that his heart had been broken badly and still wasn't mended. Kenneth never moved on from Daniel and figured that ten years was enough time to start again. It was obvious that he sabotaged his own efforts by turning to Daniel's matchmaking service. From first glance, he makes tentative steps to reconnect with Daniel. I liked how both of these guys grow through the story. They turn to others for help when they become stuck, working to fix mistakes and move forward. Daniel is domineering and it bleeds into selfishness. Kenneth grows a backbone and learns to be a partner on equal footing. I loved seeing old friends from previous books.
March 22, 2020
Poles Apart But Inseparably Entwined
If you'd read the previous books in this series you would logically expect that Daniel, head of the matchmaking agency (on the cover), would eventually have to get his story out. Here it is, and it's totally unexpected, and in many ways frustrating.
Daniel has not pursued any kind of hook up or relationship since he started the agency and we get to know why when his ex-boyfriend Kenneth comes back into his life with all the aplomb of a time bomb. We learn that these two now very successful businessmen had an extraordinary passionate relationship that ended in Kenneth walking out, and when we find out why we really don't like him at all.
But as this on-again, off-again, possible-reunion relationship rekindles we are given a view of what Daniel did and continues to do to abort the growth of the relationship. This revelation comes about late in the book with a big push from Daniel's business partners. They tie him down emotionally and kick his butt psychologically so that he can come to grips with why he is still messing up what could be an extraordinary relationship.
Not that it's a total mess, however. Daniel and Kenneth get together for some seriously passionate scenes which author Declan Rhodes is very good at portraying in all his works.
In the end this is a book that you have to come to with a bit of patience and a cocked eyebrow here and there, but it's still a very good read and if the end of the series a lovely coda.
If you'd read the previous books in this series you would logically expect that Daniel, head of the matchmaking agency (on the cover), would eventually have to get his story out. Here it is, and it's totally unexpected, and in many ways frustrating.
Daniel has not pursued any kind of hook up or relationship since he started the agency and we get to know why when his ex-boyfriend Kenneth comes back into his life with all the aplomb of a time bomb. We learn that these two now very successful businessmen had an extraordinary passionate relationship that ended in Kenneth walking out, and when we find out why we really don't like him at all.
But as this on-again, off-again, possible-reunion relationship rekindles we are given a view of what Daniel did and continues to do to abort the growth of the relationship. This revelation comes about late in the book with a big push from Daniel's business partners. They tie him down emotionally and kick his butt psychologically so that he can come to grips with why he is still messing up what could be an extraordinary relationship.
Not that it's a total mess, however. Daniel and Kenneth get together for some seriously passionate scenes which author Declan Rhodes is very good at portraying in all his works.
In the end this is a book that you have to come to with a bit of patience and a cocked eyebrow here and there, but it's still a very good read and if the end of the series a lovely coda.
February 20, 2020
Will the 💞 second time be the charm? A matchmaker looks to ⬆ his success rate😉
😊 4-4.5🌟stars
I really liked the way this story made me reconsider and flip my preconceptions of who ruined Daniel and Kenneth's relationship first time around. Their reunion after a decade apart is 🔥🔥 but dredges up some of the same issues that broke them up. Their efforts to put themselves out on the dating scene are enlightening.
The characters who have featured throughout this Matchmaker series like Blake, Isobel and Ollie, plus some new secondary characters like Sean, are helpful sounding boards and counselors but they also make Dan and Ken's lives just that bit fuller than just a quest for their next short- or long-term man. It's a good ensemble cast and the Upper MidWest setting gives excellent opportunity for cozy snuggling indoors to escape cold and blizzard. These guys seem to love life on the Lake, whether in Chicago or Milwaukee, and you know they are soul mates, despite their problems, when they bond so perfectly over The Mary Tyler Moore Show!
The angst is actually on the lower part of the scale, making this a mostly up-beat MM romance with its own happy (and a tad wickedly steamy) conclusion.
😊 4-4.5🌟stars
I really liked the way this story made me reconsider and flip my preconceptions of who ruined Daniel and Kenneth's relationship first time around. Their reunion after a decade apart is 🔥🔥 but dredges up some of the same issues that broke them up. Their efforts to put themselves out on the dating scene are enlightening.
The characters who have featured throughout this Matchmaker series like Blake, Isobel and Ollie, plus some new secondary characters like Sean, are helpful sounding boards and counselors but they also make Dan and Ken's lives just that bit fuller than just a quest for their next short- or long-term man. It's a good ensemble cast and the Upper MidWest setting gives excellent opportunity for cozy snuggling indoors to escape cold and blizzard. These guys seem to love life on the Lake, whether in Chicago or Milwaukee, and you know they are soul mates, despite their problems, when they bond so perfectly over The Mary Tyler Moore Show!
The angst is actually on the lower part of the scale, making this a mostly up-beat MM romance with its own happy (and a tad wickedly steamy) conclusion.
February 28, 2020
Charming second-chance romance with great characters, low angst and lots of heart. I really enjoyed this story and these MC's. We have had lots of foreshadowing of a broken heart for Daniel in the previous books, but this story held some real surprises as to what happened. I enjoyed the story-line and felt the pacing was spot-on. The writing flowed and the characters were so well developed. i really liked that we got to see some of our favorite couples from previous books. Their support and input made this a stronger story.
Daniel and Kenneth are complex, engaging, steamy, and vulnerable together. I loved that all their problems didn't magically go away. They still had issues, but they were more mature and had grown as people so they were more able to accommodate and change their sabotaging behaviors, they were able to grow. I loved how this story is one of growth and hope. They also had friends who were good sounding boards and supportive of their journey to find their HEA.
I so loved the ending, it was sweet, totally them and made my heart happy.
This is the fourth book in the Matchmaker series and i am looking forward to the next story.
Daniel and Kenneth are complex, engaging, steamy, and vulnerable together. I loved that all their problems didn't magically go away. They still had issues, but they were more mature and had grown as people so they were more able to accommodate and change their sabotaging behaviors, they were able to grow. I loved how this story is one of growth and hope. They also had friends who were good sounding boards and supportive of their journey to find their HEA.
I so loved the ending, it was sweet, totally them and made my heart happy.
This is the fourth book in the Matchmaker series and i am looking forward to the next story.
May 28, 2025
Daniel Cummings, co-owner of a matchmaking service, is ready for love again—but his heart remains tethered to the past. His current relationship lacks commitment, and the memory of Kenneth, the man who broke him a decade ago, still lingers. Kenneth Taylor, now a successful entrepreneur, once rejected Daniel’s ultimate proposal. Seeking a fresh start, he turns to Match Made, unaware that fate has other plans. When the two unexpectedly cross paths at a wedding, old wounds resurface alongside rekindled emotions. Daniel’s heart may be held together with metaphorical duct tape, but the question remains—can he trust Kenneth enough to give love a second chance?
I loved this poignant exploration of heartbreak, healing, and the possibility of redemption. It was also great to see something between two older men. There were lots of emotions and feelings as the past was explored as well as the present and future. I appreciated the lessons that Daniel learned about giving more time to think. I was sad that this is the end of the series as I felt we at least deserved more weddings! Easy to read, feel and understand. This was an MM story with mature content.
I loved this poignant exploration of heartbreak, healing, and the possibility of redemption. It was also great to see something between two older men. There were lots of emotions and feelings as the past was explored as well as the present and future. I appreciated the lessons that Daniel learned about giving more time to think. I was sad that this is the end of the series as I felt we at least deserved more weddings! Easy to read, feel and understand. This was an MM story with mature content.
February 22, 2020
“I’m In Heaven Right Now. Please Don’t Kick Me Off The Cloud.”
I really enjoyed the fourth book of the Matchmakers series, by Declan Rhodes. In particular, I like that an author can have me believing one thing, and then totally reverse my original assumption. Enough said, no spoilers. When Kenneth, finally gets fed up with dating, and wants a forever partner, he figures - why pay a stranger? Daniel is co-owner of Match Made, a dating service. After ten years, it should be okay to use his service, right? He and Daniel dated for two years, and that was in the past, wasn't it? The one wound he had, that never quite healed. The Matchmaker Books are standalone stories, that feature characters that reoccur throughout the series. "Reunited," tells the tale of a passionate love, reignited. Expect drama, angst, amusing situations, awkward missteps, maturity, romance, and heat. An engaging read. I received this book as an ARC from the author, and I volunteered this review.
I really enjoyed the fourth book of the Matchmakers series, by Declan Rhodes. In particular, I like that an author can have me believing one thing, and then totally reverse my original assumption. Enough said, no spoilers. When Kenneth, finally gets fed up with dating, and wants a forever partner, he figures - why pay a stranger? Daniel is co-owner of Match Made, a dating service. After ten years, it should be okay to use his service, right? He and Daniel dated for two years, and that was in the past, wasn't it? The one wound he had, that never quite healed. The Matchmaker Books are standalone stories, that feature characters that reoccur throughout the series. "Reunited," tells the tale of a passionate love, reignited. Expect drama, angst, amusing situations, awkward missteps, maturity, romance, and heat. An engaging read. I received this book as an ARC from the author, and I volunteered this review.
February 28, 2020
3.5 stars
First, let me say that I've loved Daniel since the first book in the Matchmakers series, so I was excited to finally get to his story. That said, I had a really hard time warming up to Kenneth. Or maybe I should say that I had a hard time warming back up to Kenneth. I liked him okay at first, then he does something that felt a bit like their backstory, and he lost me for a while. He did eventually get me back, but for a fair bit of this one, I kept thinking that Daniel deserved more. As it turns out, Daniel and Kenneth do fit together pretty well - I just needed some convincing. I love that they're both 40-ish, and even then, they both needed to do a bit of growing in order to have a relationship that worked. In the end, I suppose you could say that this one wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it did win me over. Plus I got to visit with some past favorites in the series, which is a nice bonus. All in all, another entertaining read by Declan Rhodes.
First, let me say that I've loved Daniel since the first book in the Matchmakers series, so I was excited to finally get to his story. That said, I had a really hard time warming up to Kenneth. Or maybe I should say that I had a hard time warming back up to Kenneth. I liked him okay at first, then he does something that felt a bit like their backstory, and he lost me for a while. He did eventually get me back, but for a fair bit of this one, I kept thinking that Daniel deserved more. As it turns out, Daniel and Kenneth do fit together pretty well - I just needed some convincing. I love that they're both 40-ish, and even then, they both needed to do a bit of growing in order to have a relationship that worked. In the end, I suppose you could say that this one wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it did win me over. Plus I got to visit with some past favorites in the series, which is a nice bonus. All in all, another entertaining read by Declan Rhodes.
March 1, 2020
When I start a book by Declan Rhodes, I know that the characters will be men like many real men out there, involved in their business, having close connections with their employees/employers, friends and the world surrounding them. David and Kenneth are young at heart and ten years apart initially seem like evaporating once they reconnect, but they have to face the reasons why they split in the past before their relationship may take off again.
You will have the chance to read again about two of the couples of the previous books of the series.
This is a relaxing read without major bumps or angst or deep inner thoughts, at times you'll want to shut David up and wonder what Kenneth expects from a relationship, but in the end, all will turn out the best way.
You will have the chance to read again about two of the couples of the previous books of the series.
This is a relaxing read without major bumps or angst or deep inner thoughts, at times you'll want to shut David up and wonder what Kenneth expects from a relationship, but in the end, all will turn out the best way.
June 21, 2020
I read the series because I was interested in this story. Perhaps I had my expectations set too high because I didn't enjoy it that much.
I got stuck on what I saw as a betrayal by his friend Iris.
The relationship did not seem to flow as easily as in the earlier stories.
After Daniel took Blake's advice and took a step back the story flowed to its happy ending. A good finish to the series.
I got stuck on what I saw as a betrayal by his friend Iris.
The relationship did not seem to flow as easily as in the earlier stories.
After Daniel took Blake's advice and took a step back the story flowed to its happy ending. A good finish to the series.
February 22, 2020
The fourth book in the Matchmakers series brings Daniel and Kenneth's story. After ten years apart the two men have a second chance to work things out. The author does a great job developing the story and in building their relationship at a slow and cautious pace. I enjoyed watching them come together and in seeing some past characters along the way. The story moves quickly and smoothly and I enjoyed reading.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
February 21, 2020
Ah, I enjoyed this book, and, particularly, having my assumptions crushed *laughs*
I liked seeing these two men struggling to get over the issues that originally broken them up, and the rest of the characters (some that we met in previous books, some new) are a lively, helpful crowd :D
A great addition to the series.
I liked seeing these two men struggling to get over the issues that originally broken them up, and the rest of the characters (some that we met in previous books, some new) are a lively, helpful crowd :D
A great addition to the series.
February 23, 2020
It's worth trying to correct a 10 year old mistake
I have read all 4 Matchmaker books. This is the best so far. Refreshingly, the two main characters are in their 30s so this is not a typical twink story. They had previous history. Overcoming that history is the narrative. I found the tentative "let's reconnect - or maybe let's not" very credible after broken hearts.
I have read all 4 Matchmaker books. This is the best so far. Refreshingly, the two main characters are in their 30s so this is not a typical twink story. They had previous history. Overcoming that history is the narrative. I found the tentative "let's reconnect - or maybe let's not" very credible after broken hearts.
February 24, 2020
This book was missing one critical scene: the one where Kenneth and Daniel actually hash out what happened 10 years ago. They should have at least fought about it! That missing scene make the whole plot hard to swallow. I don’t buy this HEA one bit, which makes me really sad. I love the rest of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2020
I have read all of the books in this series and Daniel and Kenneth's story was not my favorite. I really didn't connect with Kenneth. Over all the the second chance romance was an okay read.
March 2, 2020
I’ve been waiting impatiently for Daniel to get his happy ever after. It was well worth the wait. The storyline was full of sweet chemistry. A must read. An excellent addition to the series.
February 28, 2020
I've enjoyed the first 3 books in the series, but I thought this one was just ok. I wasn't really a fan of Kenneth or how he handled his fear of commitment to Daniel. I appreciated the ending, though.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews